“I did everything I needed to do. I felt good. It’s another step,” he said. “They felt like my stuff was great. I just don’t know what the next step is, hopefully I’ll get back in the rotation. That’s what I want to do.”

If it were June instead of September, the next step would be two or three minor league rehab starts. That’s not a possibility now, though. Odds are that he’ll rejoin the rotation next week and throw 60-70 pitches in his first start, with David Phelps ready to replace him come the fourth or fifth inning.

“He means a lot to this club. We’ve seen that. We saw that a lot the first time,” manager Joe Girardi said. “We went on quite a roll. If they deem he’s ready to move around like he has to, he’ll be out there.”